Washington (CNN) – Sen. Rand Paul called on his fellow Republicans to be more welcoming of immigrants Tuesday night in a speech where he also sharply criticized President Barack Obama and his congressional colleagues for failing to reduce the nation's debt.

"We are the party that embraces hard work and ingenuity, therefore we must be the party that embraces the immigrant who wants to come to America for a better future," the Kentucky Republican said during the "tea party response" to Obama's State of the Union address. "We must be the party who sees immigrants as assets, not liabilities. We must be the party that says, 'If you want to work, if you want to become an American, we welcome you.'"FULL POST

Washington (CNN) – At two distinct points during Tuesday's State of the Union address, President Barack Obama mentioned his 2012 presidential opponent, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

When Obama announced "a non-partisan commission to improve the voting experience in America," the president said he would appoint a top attorney from his campaign as well as one from "Governor Romney's campaign."FULL POST

Washington (CNN) - A majority of Americans who watched President Barack Obama's State of the Union address said they had a very positive reaction to his speech, according to a survey of people across the country who viewed Tuesday night's address.

But a CNN/ORC International poll also indicated that less than four in ten think the speech will lead to more bipartisan cooperation.FULL POST

(CNN) - After stepping off of the House floor Tuesday, President Barack Obama picked up the phone and urged supporters to push forward the priorities he outlined in his State of the Union.

"Wherever you are I just want you to remember its people like you who are going to help us actually realize the vision that I talked about tonight," he said on a conference call and livestream. "That's why you're the first phone call I'm making on the way back to the White House."FULL POST

(CNN) - Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida delivered the Republican response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday. The full text of his remarks, as released by his office, is after the jump.FULL POST

(CNN) - On Tuesday, President Barack Obama delivered his fourth State of the Union address, and his seventh address to a joint session of Congress. His remarks, as prepared, are after the jump.FULL POST

Washington (CNN) – The National Rifle Association will assert that President Barack Obama’s attempt to enact new gun control laws will result in the “confiscation” of people’s firearms in a new web video scheduled to run in five states and the District of Columbia.

The video went online around the time Obama began delivering his State of the Union address Tuesday. In the speech, Obama mentioned his effort to reduce gun violence through legislative means.FULL POST

Washington (CNN) - Retired Space Shuttle Commander Mark Kelly hopes coming to President Obama's State of the Union address with his wife, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, will help convince her former colleagues its time to tighten the nation's gun laws.

"We hope it has a big impact on the members of congress who are going to be sitting down below," Kelly said of Giffords' presence in the House visitors gallery.

Watch CNN's comprehensive coverage of President Barack Obama's State of the Union address starting Tuesday night at 7 p.m. ET on CNN TV and follow online at CNN.com or via CNN's apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. Follow our real-time State of the Union live blog at cnn.com/conversation.FULL POST

Washington (CNN) - The State of the Union is usually pretty predictable: the president arrives, shakes hands as he walks into the chamber and then speaks to the American people about what he wants to accomplish.

But this year President Barack Obama's team has infused its technological savvy into the annual address and turned it more into more like a slick business presentation.FULL POST